


the bet

by stufferknee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:34:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26020477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stufferknee/pseuds/stufferknee
Summary: New to the area and new to the order, Sirius Black is determined to win your heart over. He’s so convinced he’ll succeed he decides to make it a bet.
Relationships: Remus Lupin & Reader, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin, Sirius Black/Reader, Sirius Black/You
Comments: 1
Kudos: 62





	the bet

Rain fell in sheets as you made your way to the address Remus had given you earlier in the day. Of course, the rain would decide to drench you the evening you were set to meet the rest of the Order. England would take some getting used to, compared to the climate you were used to in Canada. Grumbling, you finally spotted the building up ahead, a sandy-haired man with an umbrella waiting outside for you. 

“Had to pick tonight of all nights, didn’t you Lupin?” you called to the man once you were close enough. 

He flashed you a smile, tucking you under the umbrella with him. “It’s as good a night as any, (Y/n). Come, let’s get you inside. Mind the noise at first, there’s a particularly nasty portrait that enjoys screeching bloody murder.”

“Got it.” You watched as the building pulled apart making room for number 12 in the middle. Remus held your hand in his, pulling you up the steps and inside. Raising a finger to his lips, the two of you manoeuvred through the halls as he led you to the kitchen. Quite a few members were already there, looking up as you stepped through the door. Drenched head to toe, hair plastered to your face and neck, you must have looked quite hilarious to them. One man, in particular, seemed to think so, stifling laughter as he climbed to his feet.

“Honestly, Remus, you couldn’t let her dry off first?” He pulled his wand out, muttering a few spells as you felt heat flow through you, your hair blowing back as your clothes dried. His eyes lingered on you afterwards smiling as he stretched his hand out to you. “Sirius Black, enchanté.”

“(Y/n) (Y/l/n), pleasure.” You glanced around at the room, giving a small wave.

“(Y/n) is our newest member, recruited by myself. We met years ago during my travels in North America. A brilliant witch, Dumbledore was equally impressed with her abilities. Saved my life quite a few times since I’ve known her.” Remus spoke up, gazing fondly at you. Sirius watched the interaction, a tinge of jealousy churning in his gut.

“Oh, stop that. I only saved your ass because you’re reckless with a death wish, Lupin. I’m honoured to be here,” you said as you took the empty seat beside Sirius to his delight.

“I take it you’re also my new houseguest?” Sirius whispered to you, offering a smile.

“So I’ve been told. A bit grim in here, isn’t it?” You offered a soft smile back, earning a chuckle from him.

“It’s bloody awful, but it’s protected and secure so what else could you ask for?” Sirius was cut off as the meeting began, formal introductions and current missions handed out. As it dragged on, Sirius found himself watching you rather intently. Something about you had him hooked, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was but he was determined to understand you. As the meeting came to an end, you helped tidy up the kitchen, putting on the kettle for tea as Sirius tucked the papers away.

“Forget about that, love, we need something stronger to celebrate your arrival.” He winked as he pulled out a bottle of firewhiskey and two glasses, Remus having left with Tonks.

“My first night here and you’re trying to liquor me up? You work fast, Black.” You rolled your eyes as you turned off the kettle, settling in beside him. 

“It’s a miserable night in a miserable house, can’t blame me for trying to take the edge off a little.” He laughed as he poured the two glasses, clinking his against yours as you picked it up.

“Can’t say I do. How do you do it?” You sipped the drink, feeling the burn in your belly as Sirius sighed.

“It’s my family home, all I have left of them really. Mum was an insufferable old bitch, the whole family was, and I’m the last alive. Well, an evil cousin out there lurking around but that’s beside the point. Dumbledore needed a safe house and I was the obvious choice.” 

You could sense something lingering behind the words, discontent with living in this house again. Reaching your hand over, you squeezed his shoulder, offering a sympathetic smile. “Hopefully we can find a way to brighten it up a little.”

“Your smile is already doing plenty, love.” 

“Oh, come on, you’re going to flirt the first day you met me? Is that your thing, Black?”

“What? A man isn’t allowed to enjoy the company of a beautiful woman anymore? I knew I was slightly out of touch being locked away for so long but I assumed it was still appropriate.” He winked as you rolled your eyes.

“Lupin’s already given me plenty of warning about you, darling. I’ve heard all the stories.” 

“The stories are my past, love. Before the war, the false imprisonment, the Order. It’s different, I’m different now. I’m not trying to get you into bed, as much as it would delight me to do so.” He let out a booming laugh as he downed the last of his glass, pouring another. “Why is the prospect of me flirting with you so terrible, (Y/l/n)?”

“You’ve only just met me, you know nothing about me,” you countered, holding your glass up for a refill as well.

“Well, tell me about yourself. I’ve heard quite a bit from Remus but I’d love your side.”

So you talked into the night, relaying stories of your travels through North America with Lupin, helping him with transformations and getting him out of trouble when he eventually attracted it. You told him of school at Ilvermorny and your life before all of this, how Lupin reached out to you to recruit you to the cause. How you found yourself in the UK in the first place looking for your destiny. 

“What do you know, your destiny landed you on my doorstep,” Sirius teased, earning himself a groan and a swat. 

“Not the point, Black. Your turn.” You smiled as he sighed, beginning his stories.

He told you tales of the Marauders, their antics at Hogwarts and their friendship. The early days of the Order, joining the war young. James and Lily, their untimely death and Harry’s survival. His years in Azkaban paying for a crime he didn’t commit, one Remus had believed he committed as well. His eventual escape, finding Harry and his innocence slipping through his fingers in the form of a rat. By the end of it you were both smashed, laying against the table.

“Reckon we’rrre going to fall asleep herrrre if we don’t get up,” Sirius laughed, slurring through his r’s.

“I’m quite comfortable, really. G'night, Black.” You laughed, closing your eyes as Sirius stumbled to his feet.

“Come on, up you go.” He tucked your arm around his shoulders, his tucked around your waist, lifting you from the chair as the two of you made your way down the halls. 

“You can take the room beside mine if you’d like. Though I hadn’t gotten the chance to clean up yet… may smell pretty foul,” Sirius admitted, prompting a groan from you.

“Let me guess, your bed is the only clean one, Sirius?” You hiccuped, smirking at him.

“Now you’re catching on, love. Thought you were daft for a moment there.”

“You’re sharing it for the night and that’s it, Black. Hands to yourself.”

“Give me a chance!” Sirius laughed, pushing open his door as the two of you fell through, collapsing on the floor.

“You got me absolutely hammered my first night here, Black. Why would I do that?”

“One month.” He grinned widely at you as he spoke.

“One month, what, Sirius?” You asked, cocking your eyebrow at him.

“I bet I can make you fall in love with me by the end of the month,” he stated proudly, extending his hand.

“And what do I get if you lose?” You smirked now, holding your hand near his but not quite grasping it.

“I’ll be your loyal servant and leave you be finally,” he shrugged. “I don’t know, whatever you want really.”

“Fine, bets on.” You clasped your hand in his, exaggerating the shake. “You have one month Sirius.”

You pulled yourself off the floor and fell into his bed. Climbing up after you, he chuckled as he tucked his hands behind his head. “I’ve already got you in my bed, I think I can win this.”

“Fuck off, Black.” You snorted, rolling to your side.

“Goodnight to you too, love.”

Sirius may have been absolutely smashed when he made the bet but he had no intentions of forgetting about it. You woke the next day to the smell of breakfast wafting upstairs. Your head aching slightly, you pulled yourself free from his sheets. Unsurprisingly your trunk was missing somewhere so you stole a jumper from Sirius, pulling it on as you left to find the source of the smell. Sirius was in the kitchen, humming as he prepared food, turning as he heard your footsteps.

“Morning, beautiful,” Sirius called to you, pointing to the food awaiting on the table. “There’s a potion there that should help the ache in your head as well.”

“Starting off the month strong are you, Black?” You teased as you slid into the seat, piling food onto your plate. 

“Made a bet with you, now didn’t I? I’m not the man Remus has painted me to be and I intend to prove that,” he replied smugly, settling in across from you with his own plate.

“Honestly I thought you’d forget about it, we did finish the bottle last night.” 

“She doubts my ability to hold my liquor as well, are you determined to shatter my heart, love?” Sirius smirked as he earned himself another eye roll. He was delighting in this far too much.

“So what’s the plan here, making me breakfast to sweep me off my feet?” You hated to admit it but the food was delicious, his company wasn’t half bad either.

“I’d have made you breakfast anyway, love. This just happened to be helpful. Besides, you’re already wearing my jumper.” He smiled as he dug into his own plate, falling into casual conversation with you.

The days passed by and you found yourself growing more and more comfortable with Sirius’s presence. After cleaning out a room for yourself, you quickly had to clean more out as the Weasley family would be joining you by the summer. Apparently being cooped up in dusty, grime-covered rooms proved to be an aid in Sirius’s quest for your heart, as you found yourself growing softer for the man. While your days for the first couple weeks were spent cleaning and complaining to each other, he planned out your evenings as a way to forget the dingy surroundings you found yourselves locked in. Technically you were free to leave if you pleased - and you did to buy groceries or other supplies - but leaving Sirius at home by himself was not something you enjoyed doing so you spent your free time keeping him company. 

Sirius loved music, he had it playing at all times in the house. He’d grab you in the middle of a chore, spinning you around or swaying as you laughed, caught up in the rush of being literally swept away. He told you as many stories as he could, dramatic reenactments of pranks gone wrong and the detentions that swiftly followed. Some nights you spent curled up reading, exchanging books or taking turns reading aloud to the other. Those were secretly your favourite nights when Sirius would knock lightly on your door. It always went the same, he would press a book lightly into your hands, curling up on your chest as you run your fingers through his hair, picking up where you left off last time. 

It was the vulnerability that finally swallowed you in. Sirius didn’t hold back from you when the stress of being surrounded by heirlooms and family trees grew too much. When the stress of not being able to care for Harry as a free man ate at his soul. He turned to you, confiding in you or resting during those quiet moments. You weren’t exactly sure when during the month you began to fall, but nearing the end you were trying to come to terms with the fact you were utterly smitten with Sirius Black. 

You pushed it down and denied it, ignoring the way his smile kicked up the fluttering in your stomach, or how when he grabbed you to dance electricity shot through your veins. How at peace you felt curled up with him after a long day, comforting the other after bad news or the regular stresses of life. The way he could catch your eye during an Order meeting, making it bearable for the remainder of it by making a funny face at you. Sirius proved himself to be more than the man he was painted to be exactly as he said he would.

“He won the bet didn’t he?” Remus whispered in your ear at the end of the latest meeting.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lupin,” you smiled, tidying up the plans from the table. Sirius had left to speak with Molly and Minerva about Harry leaving the two of you alone in the kitchen.

“Oh, please. Everyone at the table can see it. You’re absolutely putty in his hands at this point. And don’t lie about the bet, Sirius told me everything, we’re quite close.“ Remus knew exactly how to get under your skin, poking all of the right buttons. "The Great (Y/N) (Y/L/N), fearless, independent adventurer finally taken down by Sirius Black." 

"Oh, shove it Lupin,” you rolled your eyes, slamming the papers into his chest. “Are you going to help clean or just tease me relentlessly?" 

"Can’t I do both, dear? Besides, I never said it was a bad thing. You seem to be good for each other, you’ve got him more balanced than I’ve ever seen." 

"I’m not interested in being a man’s band-aid, Lupin.” Rolling your eyes for what felt like the millionth time, you put the kettle on for tea. 

“That’s not how I meant it and you know it. Your personalities balance each other, he’s doing the same for you. How long have you been wandering around now since I left you last? You’ve barely stayed two weeks in one spot and here you’ve helped build a home. For someone who talks such big talk about fate and destiny, you’re awfully blind to it screaming in your face." 

"You think the fates brought me to Sirius?” You smiled at that, Remus celebrating his small victory. 

“You can call me a hopeless romantic, a fool, what have you, but it doesn’t change the fact that you have feelings for him.” Remus finished his argument, a smug smile on his face that had you shoving his arm. 

“Fine! I like him, are you happy? But the bet was to fall in love with him, so technicality!" 

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, (Y/N).” Remus shook his head as he turned to leave the kitchen. As he exited the door he bumped straight into Sirius. 

“How much of that did you hear, Pads?” He smiled as Sirius broke out into the biggest grin he’d had in years. 

“Pretty well all of it, she really fancies me,” he replied with a dazed look on his face. “Honestly didn’t think I was going to do it, Moons. Merlin, now what do I do?" 

"You go get the girl, Padfoot, honestly. Does that brain of yours still work?" 

"You’ve gotten mean you know, you oughta lighten up a bit." 

"Just go get her would you!" 

Shoving Sirius through the door, Remus shook his head as he left the house. You smiled as he toppled through, letting out a laugh as he tried his best to straighten himself out. 

"Trouble walking, Sirius? You haven’t even opened a bottle yet!" 

"I do believe I’m not the one falling here, (Y/N), care to confess? Or should I make this as awkward and painful as possible for you?” Sirius smirked as you groaned, he’d heard the entire conversation, you knew it. 

“Well since you were eavesdropping like a schoolboy, you already know. Do I really have to say it?” You smiled as he walked towards you, stopping just in front of you.

“I’d quite like to hear it, call me crazy but you normally like to hear the woman you love admit she fancies you.” He smiled as his hand cupped your face, a giggle slipping from your lips. 

“The woman you love? I’m pretty sure the bet was supposed to work the other way around there, Black.” Your arms wound around his waist as you pressed closer to him, his hand shifting to the back of your neck. 

“Do I have to beg on my knees? Merlin knows I’ll do it." 

"That’s a sight I’d love to see… but I’ll be kind. I like you, Sirius. You win." 

A smile broke out across his face as he crashed his lips against yours, a needy, heated kiss that felt long overdue. You melted against him, putty in his hands just as Remus had said. An inferno burned inside of you as he took his time, only breaking away when the whistle of the tea kettle interrupted. His grey eyes sparkled as he shifted it from the heat, the same smile plastered across his face. 

"What do you say we take this tea upstairs?" 

"Sirius Black, are you trying to get me into bed again?” You laughed as he shrugged, pouring the cups.

“Only if it’s working, love.”

**Author's Note:**

> All of my work is posted on tumblr at www.firewhisky-kisses.tumblr.com <3


End file.
